Ichika and Itsuki's disbelief was still within Ren's calculations. If they had believed everything so easily, that would have made him suspicious instead.
Facts speak louder than words. Therefore, the best way was to show them directly.
Ren took a deep breath, then activated his Divine Authority – Sun Conqueror. The magical energy within his body surged like an endless ocean, filling the room with an invisible pressure.
"I, who seize the light of the sun, the archer who brings down the sky god! Appear, bow of solar majesty!"
*ZHENG!*
Instantly, golden light gathered in Ren's hands, forming the majestic shape of a longbow. The bowstring glowed brightly, while an arrow of golden light appeared as if born from the sun itself.
Silence.
Ichika, who had initially wanted to laugh at Ren again, suddenly froze. Her blue eyes widened, and her breath caught.
Beside her, Itsuki covered her mouth with both hands, her body trembling slightly. Her blue eyes were filled with shock.
Meanwhile, Kaoru and Touma, who were more experienced in the supernatural world, turned even paler. They felt dread sensing the magical energy radiating from Ren.
'Now I understand why Grand Knights and Grand Mage, who are the pinnacle of power humans can achieve, still can't compare to Campione. It's truly on a different level.'
Meeting a Campione for the first time, Kaoru revised his narrow perspective.
On the other hand, Ichika finally managed to move again. She raised her hand and pointed at Ren with a confused expression.
"W-Wait a minute. This... this is a magic trick, right? You're using holograms or something?"
Even faced with the evidence before her, Ichika found it hard to believe that all the talk about Campione was real.
"Do you think I had time to set up holograms here?"
"There could be new technology I don't know about!"
"It seems I need to show more concrete proof for you to believe."
Seeing Ichika still insisting, though her voice was losing confidence, Ren let out a short sigh.
As Ren's actions unfolded, Touma's expression changed drastically. His previously tense face now turned panicked. He quickly stepped forward, trying to stop him.
"King, please wait! I beg you, calm your anger! If you use your Divine Authority in the middle of the city, the damage will be catastrophic! Countless lives could be lost!"
Kaoru also immediately stood up from his seat and bowed deeply.
"For the sake of countless human lives, we implore you, King, to reconsider."
"..."
Ichika froze in place. As a professional actress, she was used to seeing all kinds of expressions, both genuine and fabricated. But... this time, she could swear these two were completely serious. There was no deceit in their expressions.
"Hubby, don't act rashly because of Ichika's words. Put your weapon away, okay? I believe you."
Ichika turned to Itsuki with a shocked expression.
"Huh?! Hey, Itsuki, you believe this nonsense too?"
Unlike her, who was still skeptical, Itsuki seemed much calmer—though there was clearly surprise in her eyes.
"I can't deny the truth before my eyes, Ichika."
It was a simple answer, but also absolute. Ichika couldn't argue with it. Even if she was foolish, the divine aura radiating from the bow and arrow couldn't be faked.
Seeing the situation had calmed down, Ren finally lowered his bow. "Alright, since you say so."
As he spoke, the bow and arrow in his hands dissipated into fragments of light, vanishing as if they had never existed.
"Phew..."
Touma let out a sigh of relief and quickly pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead.
Meanwhile, Kaoru sat back down on the sofa, his mind racing as he tried to guess the identity of the Heretic God Ren had slain.
A bow and arrow... in Japanese mythology, there were only a few gods known to use such weapons.
'Fujin? No, he's more known as the god of wind. If he had appeared, the battle would have involved a massive storm.'
'Sarutahiko? Impossible. Although he's a god of war and guidance, he's not famous for using a bow.'
'Takemikazuchi? Hm... he's the god of thunder and war. If he had been killed, there should have been signs of lightning in the battle. But based on the CCTV footage, there was nothing like that.'
Kaoru frowned. None of these guesses fit.
What confused him even more was the lack of resistance from the Heretic God in the CCTV footage. Usually, when a Heretic God appears, massive destruction is inevitable, even for a Campione. However, in the footage they analyzed, Ren seemed to kill the Heretic God far too easily—it couldn't even be called a battle but a one-sided slaughter!
On the other hand, Ichika was still trying to process everything. Her eyes shifted between Ren, Kaoru, and Touma before she finally let out a soft sigh.
"It's hard to believe... So the gods from legends are real?"
Ichika finally spoke, though her tone sounded like she was trying to convince herself. Even if her common sense couldn't accept it, she had no choice but to believe the reality before her.
Touma, seeing the confusion on Ichika and Itsuki's faces, took the initiative to explain further.
"The world is far more complex than you think. There are various entities whose existence surpasses the understanding of ordinary humans. Youkai, ghosts, evil spirits, monsters, aliens, Heretic Gods, Campione, and many other supernatural beings. They all exist in this world, though hidden from the public eye."
Ichika and Itsuki exchanged glances. All of this sounded like something out of a fairy tale or a movie. But the evidence was right in front of them.
"Then why have we never experienced any supernatural events?" Itsuki voiced the doubt in her heart.
Kaoru, who was more experienced in the mystical world, answered in a calm tone.
"That's all thanks to the efforts of the Divine Enforcers. They are the official organization responsible for maintaining peace and order in society. Their job is to ensure ordinary humans aren't exposed to supernatural threats that could disrupt daily life."
"In fact, every year, thousands of people die in mysterious incidents. However, most of them are actually victims of supernatural beings. Even if some survive, their memories are erased to maintain the secrecy of this world."
Ichika frowned. She felt something was off about that method.
"Why not reveal the truth? If everyone knew this world was dangerous, wouldn't they be more careful?" She protested.
Kaoru fell silent for a moment, unsure how to answer. However, Ren took over.
With a relaxed tone, he looked at Ichika with a faint smile.
"Ichika-san, do you think if everyone knew about the supernatural world, they would be able to protect themselves? No, the opposite would happen. If ordinary humans knew this world was filled with supernatural beings stronger than them, most would react with fear. That fear would turn into panic, and panic would breed chaos."
Pausing for a moment, Ren gave the two girls time to digest this information.
"You know how humans react to things they can't control, right? They would try to fight it in the wrong ways. Some might seek protection, but others? Cults, mass paranoia, and the worst—some would try to exploit the situation for personal gain. If you think the world is bad now, believe me, revealing the truth would only make it worse."
"..."
Ichika fell silent. Ren's words made sense, even if she didn't like them.